Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Help for BIKE Riding

I posted about this in another thread about our journey with vision therapy but thought more might see (and find) this in its own thread.

I have a tall nearly 7 yr old DS who is newly diagnosed Dyspraxic and has a number of vision issues (convergence insufficiency, occulomotor delays, accommodative insufficiency, and tracking problems). He is also ADHD, has a general anxiety disorder, and not surprisingly cannot ride a bike. He only became able to pedal successfully last summer and still got "stuck" sometimes. He outgrew his old bikes and trikes. We have a new bigger bike that has been a disaster.

Socially this is beginning to be a limiting (and embarrassing) factor for him. Little boys ride bikes together and talk about their bikes. He is missing out and staying indoors more and more.

So what have those of you with your 2e kiddos used to successfully solve the Bike Problem?

I recently ordered one of these: Ybike Explorer Go Kart
My son responds highly to the bucket seat special needs swings at the parks so I thought the bucket seat would feel secure on that toy. It is also low to the ground and the steering should challenge him because of the bimodal mechanism. It is only pedal powered and looks cool so he will feel good about that. I still have not received it so no clue how it will actually work for him.

But I am still hoping to learn from others who have worked with older kids trying to master Bike Riding. So much of the "helps" don't fit big kids. So what have you used/done both successfully and not so much?

We bought our DD a trek float bike - the right size for a 5-8 yr old depending on size, looks like a normal bike but has quick release pedals so you can use it pedal free until they're ready for pedals.

Do you have a "Lose The Training Wheels" near you?

I just looked up Lose the Training Wheels and after a bit of difficulty found out it has been renamed "I can shine". Website is www.icanshine.org. Looks like a great program! We have to wait for a few months till they have one near us.

Now heading off to check the trek float....

Please keep the ideas coming!

Actually DD while 2e did not have this particular problem. But I would second MumOfThree's suggestion--apparently this is also common in e.g., Germany--kids there often learn to ride on bikes without pedals, so they get the balancing part first (and move by kicking along on either side of the bike). Of course this works much better in an area without hills, but anyway. Then when they get the balancing part down, you add the pedals. There was also something on NPR recently about a bike lesson for grownups in D.C. who had never learned to ride using the same technique to get going very quickly. Do you think something like that would help? But you said he had learned how to pedal--do you think maybe his bigger bike is too big or too heavy for him to manage easily? Maybe a bike on the small side would be easier for him.

Our kids were never interested in ride-on toys, despite us owning a tricycle, like-a-bike, big-wheels, and a plasma car (and now two kid-sized bicycles!)

DS (nearly 8) learned this spring when we took off the training wheels and pedals of his bike, and lowered the seat enough so his feet could easily touch the ground. Then we went to the nearby school, where there is a huge area of black top that slopes very gently (the sloping was key!) After a couple of weekends of short practice sessions, DS was able to go quite some distance without touching his feet to the ground. It was then that we put the pedals back on, and he was able to bike (at least in a straight line; going around obstacles is still difficult).

I know what you mean about being embarrassed about one's biking skills. DS's scout pack had a bicycle rodeo soon after he learned (this was our impetus for teaching him when we did), and nearly all the other kids were riding around easily. DS balked and hardly rode at all, even though he knew how, because he could see he wasn't yet as good as they were. The few practice sessions he's had since he learned have all been in the deserted schoolyard with as few people watching as possible.

FWIW, I was 12 when I finally learned, and my younger sister was 7. We were on vacation, and our mom rented bikes (sans training wheels) for us from the place we were staying. My sister didn't want any help and walked off to learn on her own. She came back a couple of hours later scraped, bruised, but successful. I think being by herself, with no one to "judge" her, helped a lot.

DD doesn't have a 2e issue which affects this, but she's just physically cautious. By the time she was ready to learn, she was tall and heavy enough that training wheels weren't a very effective thing.

We used one of these: Balance Buddy and an inexpensive used bmx-style bike that was a smidge on the SMALL side for her.

We are fortunate to have a university nearby with lovely paved paths along large flat quads-- PERFECT for learning to ride a bicycle. It took a couple of weekend afternoons, but she was riding independently in just a few hours, really.

We live on a ridge so once you get off our street there is a big hill. DD11 won't even try to ride a bike. She is terrified. We've tried taking her to the local church with the big flat, newly repaved black top -- no dice. DS8 taught himself this spring partially due to peer pressure. He has told her that learning to balance on his scooter helped him with the balance part of writing a bike. Now, she won't try the scooter. Grrr!

Yeah, we live atop a hill, too-- it was very scary to learn to ride a skateboard, scooter, or bicycle here at home-- we had to go down the hill to the neighborhood elementary school, which has a lovely flat blacktop area, or down to the university. At the time, I was working on campus, though, so that made it fairly convenient.

I second the motion for trying the no pedals thing. It worked like magic for my very cautious 5 yr old. 2 days of no pedals, 1 day back on the pedals. Best of luck to you, I know you will find the right thing at the right time for you little one.